Meeting with Hanergy Holding Ltd – the World Giant Thin-Film Solar Innovator
The Hon. Samiu Vaipulu, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) successfully led the Tongan delegation to China during the week of Saturday, 11th October 2014. On Monday 13th of that week, the Deputy Prime Minister and his delegation met with respective members of Hanergy Holding Group Ltd in Beijing. Hanergy Holding Group Ltd is a multinational clean-energy power generation company, as well as the world's largest thin-film solar power company. Mr. Wang Yong, the Executive President represents Hanergy at the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and his delegation.
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| Mr. Wang Yong, Executive President of Hanergy with Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu of the Tongan Government in Beijing. |
The meeting was very successful in sharing information that will be mutually beneficial to both parties opening the way for Tonga Power Ltd (TPL) to continue the dialogue directly with Hanergy in developing projects in line with the 100% Renewable Energy target by 2020.
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Hon. Deputy PM Samiu Vaipulu and TPL Chairman, Mr Carl Sanft together with respective members of Hanergy Holding Ltd while inspecting varieties of Hanergy Thin-film technologies.
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7th Asian Solar Energy Forum Meeting
The Deputy Prime Minister and his delegation continued on to South Korea to attend the 7th Asian Solar Energy Forum (ASEF) meeting in Seoul on October 14 - 15. There were a delegation of six from Tonga including Deputy PM, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu, two from the new Ministry of Energy which were Mr. ‘Inoke Finau Vala, Dr. Tevita Tukunga and from Tonga Power Ltd were TPL Chairman – Mr. Carl Sanft, TPL Officers – Mr. Steven ‘Esau & Mr. Nikolasi Fonua. This highly important meeting was organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The forum explores the concept of the Tonga Renewable Energy Target which our Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Vaipulu informed the participants that it has now changed from 50% to 100% by 2020 which was signified on the very first day of the meeting. During the course of the conversations, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu continued to challenge the participants that it is time to wake up and to realize the effect of climate change and adverse natural disasters to some of our island nations. Hon. Samiu Vaipulu confirmed that ADB has advised him that they will look at this very request and possibly conduct a pilot study in one of the islands in Tonga whereby the DPM indicated that we have agreed for the trial to be carried out in the island of Vava’u.
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Deputy PM, Hon. Samiu Vaipulu during the 7th Asian Solar Energy Forum Meeting, Seoul.
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It was indeed a fruitful and successful meeting and that we are thankful to the Deputy Prime Minister who is also the Minister responsible for Environment, Energy, Climate Change, Disaster Management, Meteorology, Information and Communications (MEECCDMMIC) and his delegation. The Tongan delegation returned home safely on Monday, October 20th.
ENDS.